Hi there,
I have read most of what I could find using the search function - but I never seemed to find this answer. I know that eventually they will all be 2 class planes, but does anybody know when this will be? I am flying this June on AA 73 & 72 FC ORD-HNL & it would be a large improvement to fly with 60" pitch vs 40" pitch.

I believe the 300ER's will get the two class conversion first. American's plan is to offer two class service (Business and Economy) on secondary longhaul and special market flights (mainland US to Hawaii as well as flights to Europe that exclude London and possibly Paris). I believe more than half of the AA 762's will be stored in the desert soon.

Only the 300ER's are being converted to 2-class. 14 762's are being put into storage at some point during 2003. The other 14 will remain in service, in 3-class, primarily on trans-cons.

Tenatively the conversion will be done by May. The first 2-class conversion have entered service on LAX-HNL. The new 2-class is different from the existing Hawaii 2-class, and will be the same for all 763's.

This doesn't make sense to me. I can see maybe having a 2-class on the Hawaii runs, but on international runs, what kind of ticket are people going to have to purchase to have the premium seats on the 763? Secondly, why do the 777's stay in the 3 class?

The reason that all the 767-300's will be converted is that it is cost effective having only one configuration of each aircraft so that they can be swapped amongst all 767-300 routes without impact.

The seats are going to be sold as Business and economy on the Europe and SA routes, I would guess that they will be sold as First and economy on Hawaii. We were told that having a sub-fleet of Hawaiian aircraft would cost more than having a common fleet.

On the secondary routes to Europe and SA, if there was a demand for full fare First class tickets you can bet they would be staying 3 class, I work mostly in first and can honestly say that full fare first is something you don't see every day, most of the list is upgrades, mileage awards or op ups. The reason the 777's are staying 3 class is there is a demand for first class on London and Tokyo, look those flights up and you'll see a lot more full fare customers than on any other International routes.

Meechy36 is correct. The whole point of the reconfiguration is the cost savings realized by converting to a single 767-300 fleet.

By creating a single fleet type, AA saves a couple of aircraft by creating new found flexibility in terms of maintenance routings. The fleet is utilized much more efficiently, reducing costs OR additional flying can be created using the existing # of aircraft.

I believe AA is doing the same with the 777 fleet. Atlantic 777s and Pacific 777s will become one single fleet type as well.

All 767-300ERs will be high-density and 2-class. The new HD configuration is making new routes like JFK-BCN and JFK-FCO a reality. And when the situation in South America improves, it also will likely mean that MIA-MVD/ASU/CNF will go non-stop (ASU probably daily; MVD and CNF 3/4x a week).

All 767-200ERs will be low-density and 3-class, mainly for transcons and MIA-JFK.

All 777-200ERs will be low-density and 3-class in the much perfered Atlantic configuration. American Airlines will use 777-200ERs to serve London Heathrow (all flights), London Gatwick (except St. Louis), Frankfurt (Dallas only), Tokyo Narita (all flights), Sao Paulo (except Dallas), and Buenos Aires (Miami only).

Sorrt I can't help you there. I don't work for AA anymore, so I am not prvy to any of that information. If I had to guess the current pitch in First on the Hawaii 767's, I would have to guess somewhere around (36"-42").

I would also be very suprised if they DID NOT have footrestes in the new configuration, since these will still be primarily International aircraft.

ConcordeBoy-
My mild preference for the Pacific configuration is borne out of the fact that when I have traveled to Japan on American's 777, particularly the now-cancelled Osaka flights, the cabin was very lightly occupied. I have always had an empty seat next to me, so there is an abundance of room. LHR flights have been full in First both times I have experienced Flagship Suites. It is nice, and in a full compartment, it is probably preferable to the Pacific config. On one Osaka trip, the return flight to DFW had only 4 of 18 seats occupied. I wish AA would bring the flight back.